Cord lock and bracket



Sept. 21, 1948. F. J. BURNS CORD LOCK AND BRACKET Filed April 22, 1947 INVENTOR. 3 15 64 Burns. fiw mm.

Patented Sept. 21, 1948 Fred J. Burns, Saginaw, Mich., assignor to The 1 Columbia Mills; Inc., New York, N. Y.

App aanimn 22, 1947, Serial No. 743,095

This invention relates moreparticularly to the automatic cord lock for locking and unlocking the slat elevating and supporting cords of'such structures.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide an automatic cord lock and supporting bracket, said bracket being designed to permit the cord lock to bemounted to suit either right or left hand blinds. Another object is to design a bracket on which the cord lock unit proper can be detachably mounted, and which also serves as a blind tilt shaft support.

A further objectis to provide an automatic cord lock and bracket mounting formed of to Venetian blinds, and drum, and this tape depends through openings 12 8 Claims. (CL 160-173) stampings, which can be assembled by a workman on a workbench as a unit, so that it can be easily and quickly mounted in the head box of a blind.

A further object still is'to provide a bracket provided with means engageable by the cord lock unit for detachably, yet securely, mounting it in position. i I

Still a further object is to provide an automatic cord lock and bracket formed largely of stampings, which is composed of few parts, all

of simple and rugged construction, and which can be economically manufactured, assembled, and mounted.

While the preferred form of the invention is disclosed herein for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that various changes may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, part-sectional, frontelevational view of a Venetian blind head box showing my bracket and automatic cord lock unit in position thereon.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the bracket and cord lock.

Fig. 3 is an end-elevational view showing the automatic cord lock assembled on the bracket.

Fig. 4 is a front-elevational view, the housing being broken away to show the latch.

Referring more in detail to the drawing; the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention is shown in connection with the head box 8 of a Venetian blind which is mounted on suitable brackets (not shown) provided in a window opening.

The blind operating mechanism includes a tilt shaft 9 having enlarged drums l0 mounted thereon, ladder tape ll being secured to said provided in the bottom of the box, this ladder tape supporting a plurality oi blind slats (not shown) in the usual manner.

The lifting cords l3 are connected to the bottom rail (not shown) of the blind as usual; thence leading upwardly through suitable openings provided in the head box; thence being trained over sheaves l4 which are mounted therein; and thencethe cord leads through the automatic cord lock 3' ma manner to be hereinafter described.

The bracket plate 15 is mounted transversely of the head box and is preferably formed of a stamping, the two sides and bottom edges being flanged as shown at l6 and I1 respectively, and this flanged bracket snugly fits the head box and can be secured in position in any approved manner.

A pair of angularly disposed openings I8 are formed inthe bracket plate IE to accommodate the lift cords l3, and outwardly projecting guides l9 are provided on the vertical marginal edges of each opening for detachable engagement with the cord lock housing B," the upper edge of the plate being shaped to form a keyhole-shaped open bearing 20 for releasably supporting one end of thetilt shaft 9 therein.

The main body of the cord lock comprises. the

housing "13 having bottom and spaced-apart side walls 2| and 22 respectively, the vertical edgesoi' the side walls being turned to form flanges 23, shouldered as at 24 to form stops, these flanges being slidably received between the guides 19, the stops 24 limiting downward movement of the unit.

The unit can be easily and quickly mounted and/or removed, or can be shifted to the opposite angularly disposed position on the bracket, when necessary and desired.

A transversely disposed pin 25 spans the housing side walls 22, and a grooved roller member 26 is journaled thereon and over which the lifting cords are trained; thence the cords lead downwardly through individual openings 21 provided in the bottom wall of the housing.

The upper edges of the side walls 22 are curved as shown, and projecting shoulder portions 28 are.

formed integral therewith at a point directly above the bottom wall to limit the downward gaging and wedging the lift cord between the roller 26 and the tooth 32 of the latch, and when ing and the cord is free to raise or lower'theis'lats' as desired.

A rib 33 separates the cord openings Wrahdipfevents twisting, tangling, or overriding of :the lifting cords.

The cord lock can be very quickly mounted or removed, and the fact that it can be mounted in eitherposition i on the same bracket makes for eedno'my d'f manufacture and assenibly. y H 'Froin thEffOregoing 'descr'iptionflit will: be, obvi'ousthat I have perfectedfa-very 'simpla'l-pradtical and inexpensive eo'rurdtk ldiackt'forwa net'ian blinds '1; cordloclemechanism forfiienetian blinds comprising-a qbracket adapted to span-and be seourelymounted-in a head box, a plurality ofipairs ofss-paced-apartsecuring members onsa'id bracket, andrac rdlock unitengageable with: said securing memb-ersand shif table topositionforseither right 4 on leithandblind operation.

, 2. A cord l-ock unit f or Venetian-iblinds-comprising abracket plate adapted to bemounted in a head box and-having spacd-apartliftcord ac:- commodating openings therein, and a quickly-detachable cord lock unitadapted to be mounted on said br-acketinalignment with'a-seleoted opening for either-rightorieithandblind gperation, 7

3. A cord -lock: mechanism tor Venetian-blinds comprising a; bracket plate -formed with spacedapart angul-arly disposed -openi-ngythe-rein and a 4. A cord locking mechanism for Venetian blinds comprising a bracket plate adapted to be secured in and mounted transversely of a head box, and having spaced-apart oppositely disposed openings therein, guides on the marginal edges of each individual opening, and a quickly removable cord lock unit engageable with either pair of guides; I

"-5.: An article 'of manufacture comprising a stamped bracket plate provided with spaced-apart c'ord accommodating openings therein, guides on the opposed marginal edges of each opening, an

"nspen bearing in the upper portion of the bracket, for releasabl y accommodating a tilt shaft, and

.q eaadiiickly shiftable cord lock unit engageable with "mind peratian.

cor-d lock unit inountedon-said bracketand shifti able into position and alignment witheeitlrer of said openings to accommodate'the'cordstor either 'rightonleft-handblind operation,

A c'ord locking mechanism for Venetian blinds comprising a bracket adapted to be mounta d- 1I1 a headbox. andhaving spaced-apart anguilarlywdisposed openings. therein, Jguid'ing members Oh-thdmalginbdges of'eachtdpefiing;aiqiiiclily detachable cord loci; -unit hgageable'with either .pair of guiding membersfto.position the t-fdr either-right orleft-hand blind operation, and an open: 'ear-ing inthe-upper dge ofsaidbracket.

automatic cord 'lock nnit forYV'n'etian blinds comprising a bracket formedwith-spacdapart cord accommodating openings jlitherein, guides iprmed' on themarginal edges of said openings, a-Ffian-ged cord, locljg .iinit -rfleasably engagea'ble' with said guides and shif-table for mounting in aIi g-nrnent witheither of -said openings, and stops for limiting the movement maid cord; lock e lidsa i 8 -A cot'd locking amt for Venetianlblin'ds' 'co'm- 'pr l'singnabracket;plate having an-.o'pen bearing ln the upper porti-on'thereofto releasably accomgnodate a tilt shaft said plate having. angularly disposed spac'ed-a'partopeningsformed'in'theiace of the-bracket, guides an 'the opposed marginal edges of said openings, and a cord lock -unit formed -with-flanges on one endfithereotand en- #gageable with salid g-uidest-forreleasably securing saidord lockun it inlposition is. straits; 

